What Would be a Hero
by SunnyD545
Summary: The "Chosen Hero," they kept calling her. Since she was a child she would hear those words on the lips of everyone around her. She is the one who would save them all from the demons. At the age of fifteen, she was the perfect warrior. Everyone knew that she would be able protect all of humanity. It's just too bad that she had already sided with the Demon Lord. (Beware: Language)
1. Prologue:

**Prologue:**

The "Chosen Hero," they kept calling her. Since she was a child she would hear those words on the lips of everyone around her. They would stare: some in admiration, some in awe, some in fear. They would watch her every move, listen to her every word, and murmur about her every choice.

She is the one who would save them all from the demons that plague humanity. The prophecy foretold as much.

So much faith was placed in her training as a child. She received the best lessons in hand-to-hand combat, weaponry, and the art of magic. She was taught to master it, to excel in battle, and so she became a knight unmatched. She was taught the world as well. She learned about different places, their customs, their strengths and their weaknesses. She was taught to understand it, to make the most of any situation given to her. She became strong and intelligent by default. By the age of fifteen, she was the perfect warrior. Everyone knew that she would be able protect all of humanity.

It's just too bad that she had already sided with the Demon Lord.

In one evening, she disappeared from the kingdom that had raised her. She ran to the Shadowed Mountains, where she swore herself to the darkness that threatened to consume humanity's world. Her devotion was tested, but it was not something she could not handle. She was ordered to betray humanity, to take over towns and cities in the name of the Demon Lord. She easily pleased her new master. In return, he gave her everything she ever dreamed of. He gave her complete and total Darkness.

And, just like that, Nakahara Sunako, went from the Chosen Hero to the Dark Princess.


	2. Chapter 1:

**Chapter 1: The Hero and Villain of This Story**

"You're sick," he murmurs. The inflection of his voice shows no concern for her though. He almost sounds pleased by the thought; maybe he's humored.

"I'm not sick," Sunako replies without missing a beat. Her head is down, and her favorite mithril helmet blocks most all of her face. It's shaped like a skull and black like space. She loves how staring at it is like staring at nothing. "I'm twisted. Sick makes it sound like there's a cure."

He snorts from his end of the room. He sounds more amused than concerned. He always sounds amused by her comments. It's either that, or he's angry and yelling. She's not sure which is better. She actually despises both pretty equally.

She grits her teeth. "Why are you still here? Your companions have already run away. Surely you're not stupid enough to think that you will beat me."

He might be smirking at her, but Sunako cannot be sure. She doesn't dare look directly at him. He's just a rogue, nothing more than a glorified thief, but he's also bright. The man is radiant, so much so she at first wondered if he was a paladin in disguise. He's stronger than the average rogue, and fights like a monk.

The moment he started talking, however, she realized why he could never be a servant of God.

In any case, despite the weird fact he's a radiant rogue, he's still far too bright a creature. He's the embodiment of light, she's sure. She can't even look at him without feeling like she might melt away.

Hence her favorite helmet that covers two-thirds her face. And why she is not facing him. And why she purposefully staying on the other side of the library.

This is not running away, Sunako convinces herself. This is her best option. He's not afraid of her like the rest had been. She scares him, but not enough to make him leave her alone. Additionally, he is too stubborn to die like she wants him to. Until she figures out the best way to get rid of him, Sunako has to be smart in her tactics. She can bear his presence so long as she doesn't look at him. He won't beat her. She chants this to herself over and over again.

The Creature of Light speaks up again. "I told you, I'm not leaving until you agree to come back and be the stupid hero." His voice sounds annoyed. She hopes his face reflects such an ugly sound. He could stand to be uglier.

"And I told you, I refuse."

"Not an option," he gripes back, irritation clear in his voice. "You're coming back with me. I don't get paid for this crappy mission until you come back; do you even know how much gold the council is paying?"

They've argued about this too many times. His tone is only successful in pissing her off. Sunako turns to face him, rage overriding her concern of his radiance. She screeches back at him and throws a dagger. It doesn't work, which isn't really a surprise at this point. He catches the dagger with ease in one hand. But, in those few seconds he needs to catch the dagger, Sunako crosses the room to meet him. Her fist is out and hits him square in the jaw. She makes contact, but it isn't as hard of a hit as she would have liked. Sunako has found the rogue has a surprisingly strong bone structure.

The rogue moves with the punch, countering with a kick of his own. It's strong, but she's not intimidated. Her armor is built to offer her speed and agility over heavy defense, so Sunako has learned to take hits without complaint. Besides, this isn't the first time they've fought each other.

The two trade punches and kicks for a long while. Neither draws any weapon or calls on any magic to use during the fight however. They fight with just their fist. They always fight this way.

"What's wrong with you?" The rogue hisses as the two go back and forth. "Why can't you just come back; the money is huge you know. I could retire off of just my share!"

"Not my problem," Sunako screeches back. Her demonic aura only intensifies around her. "As if I care what money you earn for my capture." She does some rapid kicks, aiming for his chest. Only a few of the attacks land.

He throws his own kick towards her supporting leg, but the motion is off. It forces both of them to fall to the ground. Their attacks do not stop, though. "Then, at least take off that stupid helmet," the rogue demands.

"No, never," Sunako rejects. It's not the first time he's ordered this of her. "This helmet is my ultimate defense." She doesn't elaborate beyond the claim, however.

The rogue growls and reaches for the head piece, and if she wasn't so annoyed Sunako might have been impressed by the noise. Instead she hisses back and claws at his own face. He pushes her hands back each time, avoiding her attempts to take out his eyes. As he does, he still tries to grab her helmet.

"What's going on?" A new voice cries. It's enough draw both Sunako and rogue's attentions back to the entrance of the library. Standing there are three other bright beings, though not nearly as radiant as the rogue. She hisses at the young males before leaping far away to crouch by a bookshelf.

Like the rogue, these three are Radiant Creatures. Unlike the rogue, she can scare each one off with a mere growl. They are very much afraid of her. The problem, however, is that they keep coming back because of the rogue's courage. She has tried destroying the weaker three in the past battles, but the rogue has managed to stop her each time.

The smaller one, a cleric with short ash-blond hair, rushes to the rogue's side. "Kyohei," he cries with tears in the corners of his eyes. "Are you okay?"

The rogue snorts. "I'm fine." He sits up from where she had been pinning him to the floor. The young man then shoots Sunako a dirty look.

Sunako hisses back at him. She wishes that wasn't the truth. Next time she'll go for his throat, for sure.

The taller one, with dark hair, frowns at the rogue. "Honestly, we told you not to push it. We need an actual plan for this to work." He is a sorcerer, but even his power has proven no match for Sunako in combat.

"Maybe he just wanted more private time with his Dark Princess," the third man comments. He's dressed like a bard, though there is a long blade by his hip. "They did seem rather cozy before we barged in."

"Shu'dup," yells the rogue. "Do me a favor and get your freaking eyes checked, Ranmaru. That monster was attacking me."

"Kyohei," the sorcerer reprimands with a stern frown.

"She's not a monster," the cleric insists, though his voice wavers. "She's the hero. The only one who has the power to kill the Demon King."

"Never," Sunako hisses. The comment makes the cleric sniffle loudly and hide behind the other Radiant Creatures.

The rogue grins evilly. "Never say never, bitch."

Sunako growls at him, her body crouching to pounce. Behind her, dark energy begins to gather in waves. "I will kill you." She moves to lunge at him again, but the sorcerer places a shield between them. It's surprises Sunako enough to make her pause in attack.

"We'll be going now," the sorcerer assures her, his hand out to hold the barrier. The truth is that Sunako can break such a small shield with a few good hits, but she doesn't. Instead, she allows the trio of Radiant Creatures to take the Creature of Light away. She'd rather have them escape than deal with their brightness in her sacred darkness. Before they get too far down the attached hallway, however, the rogue turns back to face her.

"I'll be back, you freak," he promises with a yell. "Just be ready to leave with us when I do. And that stupid helmet better be gone."

"If you dare show your face again," Sunako shouts back. "I won't hold back. I'll kill you, this I swear Creature of Light."

He makes a face at the title she's given him, as per usual. However, his companions have him out of her sight before he can complain.

Sunako turns, returning to the bookshelves. She was just preparing to read before that horrid Creature of Light interrupted her. She really is getting tired of him just barging in as he pleases.

She hopes those four actually leave the castle this time. There's a limit to how much they can make themselves at home in a demonic kingdom. She doesn't care who they are.

And she doesn't care how important their quest is.


	3. Chapter 2:

**Chapter 2: The Worst of Them All**

"That was close," Yuki whispers as the four march down the worn gravel path. They all know the forest trek back to town by now. "Kyohei, I wish you wouldn't purposefully try to provoke her like that."

Kyohei laughs at the other's miserable face. "I can't help it; she's just so easy to mess with. You totally missed it. She hissed at me on all fours, like she was a cat or something." He cackles some more.

"We most certainly didn't miss it," Ranmaru replies with a smirk. Behind the bard, glitter seems to fill the air. "You two were rolling on the floor in each other's arms. Wrapped in a tight embrace. And then you reached for her helmet and she reached for you and—"

"Would you seriously shut up?" Kyohei cuts in while raising a fist in the air. He shakes it at the red-headed bard. "That's not what was happening and you know it."

Before Kyohei could go further in his threat, however, Takenaga pushed himself between the two young men. "In any case, that's the third time you broke into the castle this week, Kyohei. And the twelfth time in the last three weeks." He shoots the tall blond a hard look. "I think it's safe to say your 'charge in head first' method isn't the way to go. We need a better plan..." The sorcerer trails off with a small frown on his face.

The three boys, excluding Kyohei, take a pause. Each has a thoughtful look on their faces. They continue the walk back in silence. None of the young men seem know what to do to win over the Dark Princess. They don't know how to turn her into the Chosen Hero once again.

"It is strange though," Yuki starts up again after a moment. The others glance at him in interest, so the cleric elaborates. "She hasn't killed any of us yet." He looks thoughtfully at Kyohei. "She's tried, but she hasn't actually succeeded for one reason or another."

Kyohei smirks while puffing out his chest. "Like that chick could kill me. The day she does, hell will freeze over."

"It is odd," Takenaga agrees, ignoring Kyohei's claim. "Stories tell of how strong and ruthless she is, yet none of us are dead. It's been three weeks, but after those first few attempts, she seems to have lost interest in actually killing any of us. Now she just threatens us and hits Kyohei a lot."

To Takenaga's right, Ronmaru starts chuckling. "Well, I can't say for the rest of you, but my charm must have finally worn her down." He pulls the small lute from his back and strums at the strings. "Last week I played her a song of love and devotion. It's irresistible."

Kyohei raises a brow and scrunches his nose. "You can't be serious."

"Well, it's certainly not your wonderful personality that's winning her over. If you truly want to show the Dark Princess your affection you're going to have to use better tactics than pulling her hair like a 6 year old," Ranmaru declares with a frown. "Honestly, she's never going to listen to you if you don't start being honest."

Kyohei bristles at the bard's accusations. "I've told her, just like I told you: I'm in it for the money. There's more gold for this quest than there are hairs on my head." A shine comes to the young man's eyes as he clasps his gloved hands together. "Imagine how much food I can buy; all that fried shrimp and strawberries." The three companions near him laugh as Kyohei continues on with his list of delectable delicacies.

The four make it to town as soon as the forest clears. It's a tiny and dark place, which is expected for how close it is to demon territory. The forest is the boundary that just separates the town from ravenous monsters. Despite the location, however, business is good due to the number of warriors and travelers that pass by. It's an ideal place to rest up and restock supplies before braving the Demon Lord's minions.

The four reach the inn, but do not return to their rooms. Instead, they head to the attached dinning hall and sit in a back corner. Each takes a moment to raise the hoods from their cloaks and shirts, attempting to hide their faces from the rest of the pub.

It's Kyohei that starts up again once they are all seated. He sighs. "Man, that witch really tricked us on this one. If I had known that bitch would be so stubborn, I wouldn't have agreed."

Takenaga laughs at the rogue's pout. "You couldn't seriously have thought that it would be easy, right? Lady Nakahara was honest with us from the start when she chose us for this quest."

"I think Kyohei was just focused on the money," Yuki chimes in with a laugh of his own. "He probably stopped listening the moment she mentioned the reward."

"I was more interested in the _who_ ," Ranmaru confesses with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "The Dark Princess is rumored to have been very pretty once upon a time. Her figure in that amour is already captivating enough. And all that long, black hair... It's very elegant and refined," the bard almost purrs. The other three shiver at his tone.

"Once she was," Takenaga agrees slowly. "But as of now, who knows?" He shrugs the robes across his shoulders. "It's been over five years. For all we know the darkness could have turned her just as dark as her heart. Perhaps betraying humanity disfigured her." The comment makes all four boys pause.

Kyohei breaks away from the tension by leaning back in his wood chair. "Yeah, well, if she just took off that damn helmet, we would at least know the answer to that question."

"Would it matter? I didn't think you would care how she looked one way or another." Yuki gives the rogue a questioning look.

"I don't, but it still pisses me off," Kyohei defends. He proves this by slamming his fist on the table top; the legs of his wood chair hits hard on the pub floor. "She only wears it in front of us. Did you notice? Once, I managed to sneak up on her, but just before I caught her face she threw on that stupid helmet." He crosses his arms with a growl. "She's hiding from us."

Takenaga hums. "I'm not sure if I know. She always has it on when we come find you two fighting."

Yuki nods slowly in thought. "Maybe it is a curse or something, for becoming a Dark Princess. That would explain her not wanting anyone to see her." A small frown comes over the smaller male's face. His big eyes dull and droop. "I hope it's something we can reverse. I feel bad thinking she would have to wear that helmet forever. It can't be comfortable."

Takenaga pats the other on the back of his shoulder. "Well, it could just possibly be she doesn't want us to see her face," he offers.

Ranmaru grins. "Maybe she just doesn't want Kyohei to see her face." The comment makes Yuki smile a bit back.

Kyohei scowls at the bard. "Why me huh? What did I do?"

"Well let's see," Takenaga starts with a raised hand. He counts out one finger. "You keep breaking into her home-"

"It's a demon castle. And I'm a rogue. That's what I'm supposed to do."

Takenaga nods without argument. "And you always attack her guards." He raises a second finger.

"Again, that's what I'm supposed to do."

"Yeah," Yuki cuts in with a nod of his head. "But they're more like servants than guards, don't you think? They don't really carry any weapons. Well," the cleric stops with a gulp. His face pales a bit. "Except for the one with his guts always falling out."

"Hiroshi," Kyohei says.

"What?"

"The zombie with only half his skin is named Hiroshi," Kyohei elaborates. "He's her favorite."

Yuki visibly shakes. His face has gone a bit green around the edges. "It's really gross. And scary."

The whole group nods in agreement.

"What about the other two?" Ranmaru asks.

"There's Josephine and her husband, Sergeant George," Takenaga supplies. "They're the two skeletons that are always hanging around the main halls. They're dressed like they just got married. They're fairly agreeable, as far as skeletons go."

"Yeah," Kyohei sighs. "But there's also two other things hanging around her castle. There's another zombie that's missing skin, but it also doesn't have any legs." The other three make a face of disgust at this news. Kyohei just grins wide and wicked. "His name is Akira. She also carries around this skull called John. I don't think it's alive though." He shrugs. "Or un-alive. However that works."

Yuki shivers in his seat. "I-I've never seen those other two," he whispers. His face is back to an unhealthy pale color. "Wh-where do they...?" His teeth chatter, making it impossible for the cleric to finish.

Kyohei smirks. "They can't move, stupid. Akira has no legs, so he's always in one of her studies. The other is just a skull she likes to carry around. Nothing else. Just the bone."

"It's still super creepy," Yuki squeaks back.

"You do realize that, as a cleric, you can control and purify the undead, right?" Takenaga asks with mild concern in his voice.

"Well yeah," Yuki whines. "But they're still really gross and scary and creepy," he insists. "I don't want to ever go near them."

Ignoring Yuki's growing protests, Ranmaru turns to Kyohei. He shoots the rogue a questionable look, which causes the blond to raise a brow. "You're quite informed about her minions, aren't you Kyohei?"

"So what if I am? I've run into them enough."

Yuki turns to join in the interrogation. "You know all their names," he accuses. "You even know which one is her favorite."

A frown settles on Kyohei's lips. "Well, yeah. It's not hard to figure out. She screeches like a fucking banshee every time I cut him down. Always yelling about how no one does that to her 'beloved Hiroshi.' As if it matters. He's dead. Or un-dead. Whatever." Frustrated, the blond rogue throws his hands up. "She has no problem trying to rip me apart, yet anyone even touches that stupid zombie and she goes crazy. She acts like that thing can't just be put back together again. And it's not like they can even be together or anything anyway. He's dead. Or was. Whatever. I think she values the undead more than the living." He finishes the rant with a growl and sneer.

Takenaga and Ranmaru share a look, while Yuki blinks his eyes wide. Before long, all three of the young men start to laugh. They smile more and more as Kyohei's own lips dip lower on his face.

"What?" Kyohei tries, sounding put out.

Takenaga shakes his head. "I'm sure to the Dark Princess, the undead matter more than the living ever have." There is a grin on his face.

The rogue pouts. "Well, that's just not right. Who cares if he gets all chopped up? She can always put him back together again." He huffs. "She doesn't have to yell and hit me every time it happens. I'm just doing my job here."

The final comment makes all three of Kyohei's companions break out into laughter again. The noise of trio's laughter and the rogue's protests ends up drawing the attention of the other patrons nearby. The rest of those in the dining hall stare at the four, but they do their best not to mind. That is, until one gets up.

He's a bigger man; unlike the four handsome travelers, this man is nowhere near lean in figure. There are muscles all over his body. His outfit and presence hints that he may be a monk, or perhaps even a ranger. He stares hard a the four young men with their hoods up, but none of them look at him. A hard expression is on his face, and he approaches the laughing table with a scowl.

As he nears, the laughter of the other men dies down. Each stares back at the angry monk. With the other's attention on him, the new monk sneers. "You're talking about that betraying bitch, aren't you?" It's an accusatory question.

The young men all frown back, but Kyohei is the one to stand and meet the unwelcomed man's eyes. He glares down at the unknown monk. "What did you say?" The rogue barks back.

"That fucking monster bitch," the monk growls at Kyohei. "You four are talking about her, right? Don't tell me you're actually planning to defeat her."

The scowl on Kyohei's face is hard pressed. It draws his eyebrows together tight and his lips are open to bare straight, white teeth. The table between him and the monk is the only thing holding him back. "Is there something you're trying to imply, bub?" He asks the stranger.

The man huffs and rolls his eyes. "A bunch of pretty boys like you couldn't fight a troll, let alone the right hand of the Demon Lord." He laughs as if the idea is humorous. "Hell, that bitch would kill you all in an instant."

The comment makes Kyohei smirk, but the darkness in his eyes doesn't fade. If anything, it deepens. The air around him seems to get colder. All three of Kyohei's companions scoot away from the table. The rogue leans forward on the table, as if to tell some secret to the stranger insulting him. "For your information, bastard, I've fought her several times. She's tried to claw my eyes out more than once."

"Ha," the bigger man laughs. "You don't expect me to believe that, right? Impossible. That bitch is just shy of a monster."

The smirk on Kyohei's face drops. "You don't know shit about anything," he says with a scowl.

"I know that a pretty boy like you can't fight a monster like that bitch."

On the table, Kyohei's hands clench into a fist. "Say that again." His voice is flat, eyes narrowed on the monk stranger.

"You can't fight-" but the stranger is stopped short by Takenaga's hand coming between them.

"I think that's enough," Takenaga supplies with an awkward smile. It's weak and crumbles a bit on his lips. "Let's just agree to disagree."

The monk huffs and takes a step back, away from Kyohei and Takenaga's outward hand. "Doesn't matter either way," he assures the four. "Because I'm going through that forest tomorrow to kill that freak."

All four companions stiffen their spines.

"W-what?" Yuki whispers.

The monk smirks and crosses his arms. "You heard me." He then turns to the rest of the patrons within the room. They are all already looking at him and the four, the commotion earlier having gained enough attention.

"Tomorrow, my party and I are heading to the Black Castle, and killing the Dark Princess like the monster she is," the monk declares with a raised fist. The patrons around the room all raise their own fist or drink back, cheering for their brave comrade in arms. The only ones who do not cheer are the party of four behind him.

Satisfied with the overall reaction, the monk shoots Kyohei a smirk before returning to his seat.

There is a moment of silence around the three young men. Yuki looks between all three companions with big doe eyes. Ranmaru bites his lips and glances at Takenaga. Takenaga looks back at both of the other males before glancing at Kyohei's face. The other two do as well.

"What?" Kyohei asks, one eye closed and the other squinting at his companions.

"You're not worried?" Takenaga tries.

The rogue scoffs. "As if. He doesn't stand a chance against that woman."

Yuki and Ranmaru share a doubtful look. The sorcerer just keeps staring at Kyohei.

Frustration filters across Kyohei's frame. "Come on guys, seriously? She's the Dark Princess. That ass couldn't even touch her, let alone kill her. Hell, she'll probably kill him within a minute of meeting." He sounds sure enough, but there is a glint in his eyes and a twitch by the left corner of his lips. "It's fine."

"Right," Takenaga agrees, but he drags out the vowel just a little too long to be believable. Beside him, Ranmaru nods his head slowly in agreement. Yuki doesn't look anywhere close to convinced.

"Shouldn't we try and help her?" The young cleric tries still. "What if that guy and his team get the upper hand? Lady Nakahara entrusted us with getting the Hero back safely. We can't just standby, right?" His voice is weak. He sounds unsure of either choice.

The idea of fighting with that monk and his team makes the sorcerer and bard both cringe. Kyohei, on the other hand, sighs and leans back in the old wooden chair. His arms cross behind his head as he shrugs with nonchalance.

"It doesn't really matter to me," Kyohei says.

"How can you say that?" Ranmaru manages to glare at the tall blonde. "We've been put charge of the Hero. This is our responsibility."

"Our job is to get the Hero back to the kingdom."

"In one piece," Ranmaru insists.

Yuki nods. "Ranmaru is right. We have to do something."

Kyohei raises a brow at the other blond. "Even if it means getting punched and beaten by that idiot and his pals?"

Yuki flinches and looks down at his hands. They are shaking just enough for it to be noticeable. He clenches them into fists. "Yes," the cleric replies with resolve. He looks back at Kyohei. "Because, whether she remembers or not, the Dark Princess is still our Hero, and it's our duty to aid her. We promised Lady Nakahara we would."

Kyohei falters as the mention of the noblewoman, but his frown stays in place. He responds by sticking his tongue out at the cleric. "That witch is a huge scamming liar. She tricked me, so who cares what she thinks. And that 'Hero' of yours is ten times as horrible. She could stand to be beaten around a bit."

This time, it's Ranmaru who glares at Kyohei. "How could you say that? She's a girl!"

The rogue raises a brow. "You can't be serious. She tried to hack off your left leg just four days ago."

Ranmaru bristles and Takenaga is the one to mumble back a weak "but she didn't succeed." Neither can look at the rogue though.

Kyohei snorts while crossing his arms. "Who cares what happens to that bitch."


	4. Chapter 3:

**Chapter 3: The Day Unlike All Others**

The morning feels off. She cannot quite place why, but somehow it is. Sunako awakes feeling anxious, as if all her nerves are homing in on an unknown source. She flits about her bedroom, getting ready for just about any instance she could think of. She cannot fathom what is wrong. It just feels like there is something she's missing. It sits in the back of Sunako's mind; the reason is just on the tip of her tongue; the source of her unnerve remains just out of sight.

She spends the morning on alert, trying to figure out what is wrong. Her first thoughts are that the Radiant Creatures might be the cause. However, that doesn't sit right in her stomach. There's just no way they could do this: make the very air feel like it is trembling. Never once did she feel threatened by them. Not even the Creature of Light pushed her buttons this way. It isn't his style to hide and build tension; he's far too obnoxious and proud to be passive-aggressive. Besides, as a whole, they are not a group capable of giving off such dark and menacing auras.

So, what is the cause of her distress? Why does she feel an impending danger? What is it she isn't getting? Sunako ends up spending the morning staring out a study window, stroking John's bare bone head in concern.

It's nearing noon when Sunako senses a spike in magical power. She's in the front courtyard, between the castle and the defense walls. She had thought about eating under the dead trees for lunch, but stops dead in her tracks. Around Sunako, the temperature drops drastically, and the air itself becomes crisp and dry. There is an inaudible pop in the flow of magic around her: like a pressure release. It's sudden—mere seconds really. Then, the front gate is on fire.

Josephine's shrill chatter is next. The sound of bone clattering together comes from across the courtyard. On the skeleton is a wedding dress, tattered and less white than the day she was buried; it drags behind her, but somehow remains set firm on her boney frame.

"Your darkness," the dead bride starts, her voice accented heavy with a magical charm. It causes the noise to echo through her empty skull. "We're under attack! And just before lunch time; haven't these barbarians any taste?" Her boney jaw ends up dropping in her distress.

Sunako does not hesitate to bend and pick the jaw up in her free hand. She is calm as she reattaches the dead bride's lost bone with a magic. "I know Josephine. It's fine; move everyone deeper into the castle. Here, take John with you." She hands off the skull to Josephine's less stable hands, which are wrapped in torn and tattered silk.

Josephine blubbers consent before rattling off through the main castle doors. Not long after, another skeleton approaches Sunako. Sargent George approaches with less noise than his wife; but, even with no skin for expression, it is clear he is panicked. His ribs still rattle against his spine as the groom stands straight and stiff shouldered before his dark mistress. His weapon, an old broad sword with no scabbard, shakes just so in his bone grip.

"Shall-shall I prepare for battle?" His voice echoes out of the open jaw bone. It is low and deep, as hollow as his ribs. The waiver, however, is undeniable.

"No," the Dark Princess assures her well-dressed minion. "It's just some adventurer, no doubt wanting to try their luck at a castle serving the Demon Lord." She grins, and the look oozes with wicked agenda. "It shouldn't be a problem; I'll let them know their luck's run out."

"But, my princess," Hiroshi's voice drawls like molasses. Sunako turns to see him approaching. His spleen seems to have fallen out in his jog to her side, as he holds it close to the open rip in his flesh. "As your guard, I should—"

"You look awfully dirty, my Hiroshi," the dark princess interrupts with a coo. "When was the last time you had a magic cleaning? You should've told me. Your rot is starting to show."

The zombie in question flushes just enough to tint his pale skin a closer shade of those normal and alive. It's still green, but the magic Sunako infused into him keeps Hiroshi's dead skin from stinking and rotting away. "Lady Sunako," the undead replies slow and sluggish with his half-dead tongue, but pitched high. "This is not the time. We're under attack."

She grins with wicked delight streaming through her blood. "We are, aren't we? It's been a while. I'm rather excited." She giggles. The sound is deceptively sweet. "And it's not those Radiant Creatures." There is glee in her words, but also a squirming motion in her stomach. Sunako believes that it all means she is excited for the change. It must mean that.

"And that's something we should be worried about," insists Hiroshi. "They are simple, predictable; these foes are new. We can' be sure what they are capable of."

"Agreed," Sargent George cuts in. "From what I can tell, there are three of them at the front gate. A monk, sorcerer, and knight."

Sunako hums, eyes drawn back to the still burning gate. Something from the other side keeps hitting it, causing the double doors to quake with several booming sounds. The wood shudders in its metal supports, resisting the outside pressure as best it can. She doubts it will shatter any time soon though. There is a metal plate hidden between the wood planks. "They're all a bunch of muscle heads," she decides. "It's nothing to be worried about, my lovely friends. They haven't a chance against the Darkness."

The skeleton and zombie share a look, which is odd and difficult with their varying states of existence. They don't question her though, as it is pointless. Sunako is already chuckling; her eyes have a wicked gleam and her smile is in a sinister twist. She cackles louder the longer she watches the doors shake.

"I suppose," Sargent George drawls, "I should get your helmet? Sword?"

Sunako's laugh raises in pitch but seeps deeper into a dark humor; it's near hysterical. "Not necessary." She extends her arms, and a dark void surrounds her body. The magic whips around her, contained but energized and wild. When the darkness clears, Sunako is wearing her favorite skull helmet. Additionally, her body is covered in a thicker set of armor than her daily wear. It is a more traditional set, covering her body in the same dark mithril as her favored headpiece. The gear offers unmatched defense and durability, but lowers her speed and agility. However, with Sunako's skill, this could never be a disadvantage. On her back is a war axe, bright and sharp from meticulous care.

Hiroshi grunts. "So, you are taking this seriously."

All that is visible is Sunako's gleaming teeth. They are like perfect, white tomb stones. "This will scare them good."

The two undead stare at her for a moment. "Okay," Sargent George drawls, and the last syllable echoes through his ribcage. "Shall we take position, or…?"

"Fall back to the castle with Josephine and stay out of my way."

Both salute. "Yes, princess," Hiroshi agrees. Then, they scamper off without further argument, Hiroshi struggling still with his spleen and Sargent George waving his sword.

Sunako turns her full attention to the doors of her castle wall. They are still on fire and still holding strong despite whatever may be hitting from the outside. She watches a moment, head tilted just a bit to the right. She then moves closer to the burning wood, straying to the left where a wheel sits and several chain lengths dangle from an opening in the wall. Each hit on the nearby doors causes the chains to rattle, and though they are heavy metal, the sounds produced are light like tinkling glass.

Sunako pulls a lever by the wheel, and the chains lax. Hidden away, the sounds of chains rattling and moving can be heard. The hits from the outside stop. All that can be heard now are the metal chains rushing from within the door frames and the crackle of wood turning to ash.

Sunako continues to move to the center of the doorway. A large, steel bar runs across one of the doors to the next. It is held in place by metal brackets on each door. With one hand placed in the center, she lifts the metal bar up and out of its proper setting. Without another thought, Sunako throws the metal bar on the ground, just out of the way of the door's path. She steps back, moving several feet away from the large stone arch of the doorway. The sound it makes when it hits the ground is loud and undeniable, almost echoing in the air.

The door continues the crackle. The fire has created a large mass of smoke, darker than normal due to the magic fueling it. The smoke is trapped in the arch of the gate's stone framing. A long moment comes and goes. Sunako takes the battle axe from her back and crouches into a more aggressive stance. Behind her helmet, her eyes watch and wait for the gate to open.

It does so with a loud and long creak of the metal hinges, relieved of the burden of staying shut. The near black smoke follows the motion of the doors, escaping out and up from both sides of the passageway. A figure appears in the doorway. Then, two more behind it.

The back left is clearly a mage of sorts. They wear a simple outfit, all skin covered in wraps, including their face with a shawl or head scarf. Across the person's chest are leather binds with glass balls, each filled with different colored fluids. In their hand is a knife carved and glowing with sacred marks. They are nothing like a grand sorcerer from the royal brigade, like a certain dark-haired Radiant Creature Sunako knows. This figure is lean and lethal; a battle mage that was trained for war.

The back right is no doubt a knight. The person is covered in armor that has lost its shine, blood and dirt staining the steel. Based on the armor sitting on their frame, Sunako can safely say this is a male knight. He carries a large broad sword, also glowing and covered in runes. On their back is a giant metal shield. It stands taller than the knight by a foot or two. It must be heavy, just like the armor, just like the sword. A seasoned defender, Sunako realizes.

The last, closest intruder is a large man. His clothes are simple: a vest buttoned closed with half-sleeves and long, drawstring pants. He carries no weapon, hands bandaged with some cloth that may have once been clean. Each muscle of his arms, pecs and legs strain against the cloth. The only way to have such muscle mass is through training— brutal and unrelenting, day after day training. The look on his face is rough thanks to his square jaw, littered with scars. His small, narrowed eyes are trained on Sunako. She stares back without issue.

"Dark Princess, right hand to the Demon Lord," the monk begins. "We are here to kill you."

Sunako stays crouched down. Her hands flex on the shaft of her weapon. The once small grin on her face is already morphing into something large and offsetting, teeth in full display. She doesn't lose her stance. Around her, a dark energy begins to build, concentrating enough to highlight her form in glittering black.

"Welcome, dear travelers, to your death bed," Sunako cackles, and then she lunges forward.


	5. Chapter 4:

**Chapter 4: A Meal and A Show**

While Takenaga, Ranmaru and Yuki had already run off to the Dark Princess's castle by midmorning, Kyohei alone stayed behind. Currently, he is in the tavern, enjoying lunch. There's no way he's missing a perfectly good meal just because of some brawl that may or may not be going down at the Castle. It's not free, or even all that cheap, but food is food. Kyohei never passes up food. He complains about the taste, and the pricing, but still eats. Everyone in the tavern openly ignores his grumbling.

The other three had not been pleased, arguing that he should join them, but to hell with their whacked out moral compasses. Why should Kyohei risk his life for the Dark Princess? She was annoying and mean and scary. She always yelled and beat him for doing practically nothing wrong. The one who will need help in this battle is that monk and his stupid buddies. The woman could curdle dairy with her stare alone.

There's no reason to rush to help someone who doesn't need to be saved.

Kyohei finishes another serving of what he assumes to be meat and potatoes. The potatoes are a bit chunky, and a little dry. The meat is tough to cut, not because it is thick, but because of how under-tenderized it is. He doesn't know where the meat came from, and is a little afraid to ask. Somethings are better left to the unknown. Instead, he demands another serving from the barkeep.

"You gonna pay fer tha' food?" The barkeep grumbles, eyebrow raised. "Tha' is yer third helpin, and I ain' seen no gold yet." He clips the last letter hard on his tongue, lazy façade dropping to shoot Kyohei a displeased look.

The rogue flinches back, hand dropping to hid with the other under the bar. "Of course; I'm going to pay," Kyohei insists, but he's not meeting the other's eyes. Instead he's looking just the left, over the barkeep's shoulder. It's easy to do with his hood up over most of his face. His eyes train on the cheap whisky and rum bottles. "It's just, that." He stops because the barkeep has moved closer into his personal space.

"Just. What," the barkeep enunciates back. The slur of his accented tongue is long gone.

Kyohei leans back. "Just that my friends have the money."

There is silence, not just from the barkeep, but from the entire tavern. There are not that many patrons there for lunch, but the handful that are there are all watching Kyohei. He can feel the eyes on him. The barkeep leans away from the bar, and that grabs the rogue's attention far too easily.

"No money," the barkeep surmises. It's not a question. It doesn't need to be.

There is scrapping from behind Kyohei, and he risks a glance. The other patrons are standing up and coming to circle around the end of the bar he is at. They are all rather big, all adventurers of their own right, and all do not look pleased.

"Hey now," Kyohei starts. He shifts to face more of the coming crowd, but his eyes stray to the barkeep. "This is hardly something for all of you to get upset about. What's the deal—Hey," Kyohei is forced to stand up from the stool as the others crowd closer. "Okay, seriously. Back off," he threatens, eyes scanning the others. "I'm gonna pay, so back off before you do something I won't like."

"There's a way thin's are done around here, pre'ey boy," the barkeep starts up. Kyohei shoots the other his harshest glare, but the older man keeps going. "You pay, one way 'er nother. May'e thin's are diffren' in yer ci'ey, bu' round here, we own up."

The rogue scoffs. "Like I'm afraid of your threats. And don't act like I don't know the rules." He raises a fist. "I said I'd pay you when they get back." His other hand comes up to crack the knuckle of the first. "But, whatever beef you guys have, bring it."

Those surrounding Kyohei take the invitation, hands raising to grab at the penniless rouge. However, he's too fast; in the small space Kyohei still manages to dodge out of the way and up onto the worn wood counter. He shuffles back down the long counter to the opposite end of the bar. The angry patrons follow, some with their hands out to try at grabbing him and others trying to throw bottles and knives at him. It's easy for Kyohei to dodge them, even as he's making his getaway. He gets all the way to bar's exit, turns, and grins at his pursuers.

"See if I ever come to your bar again," Kyohei taunts. He sticks his tongue out for one final measure before darting out of the tavern. He can still hear heavy boots slamming hard wood floors behind him, so the rogue barrels his way through the attached hotel and escapes out into the small town. Kyohei doesn't stop, feet following their own path without him thinking. He doesn't stop until he sees the familiar stone walls.

He hadn't meant to come to the Dark Princess's castle; it must be out of habit. Kyohei slows his gait as he nears, eyes drawn to the burning doors. He stops to the side of them, not risking being seen by whatever made that mess. The rogue kneels, inches his way just enough to try and perceive beyond the open and smoking doorway. He see's nothing, but can hear the sounds of metal clashing and feet hitting the ground. He doesn't see the point in trying to further this approach. No, he'll take a secret entrance. As a rogue, he can't help but prefer those. Plus, only a fool would jump into the middle of whatever was happening over there.

Kyohei backs away, following the stones beside him until there is a small notch in between two blocks. He then takes out one of his small blades and shoves it into the dent. He wiggles the handle a bit, and the blocks shake. He puts more effort into the motions of his hand. The blocks respond with their own vibrations. Kyohei keeps it up until the dent is now a large opening from the two blocks wedging apart. Their positions make it easier for Kyohei to just grab each and pull them out of the wall. With the blocks gone, the rogue can actually squeeze himself right through. It takes some weapon adjusting— he throws a couple through the space first just for simplicity— but Kyohei makes his way to the other side of the wall in less than a minute.

After weeks of this, it's no problem. Practice made perfect, after all.

The rogue moves low and cautious of his surroundings. He's in the back corner of the front courtyard, by some wilting bushes. The noises are even louder than before, and there are more sounds that seem like grunts and yelling. Kyohei moves closer, taking a path hidden by dying vegetation and the broken statues. At this point, everything is on fire or blown up or smashed. Not that the courtyard was ever a beautiful setting before today.

As he approaches the battlefield, Kyohei begins to recognize a few of the battle figures. First is the monk from the tavern. And now there's two others, though he doesn't know who the hell they are. One is obviously a knight, but he can't tell if the other is also a rogue or a mage or a mummy. Seriously, what is with that outfit?

He also notices the Dark Princess. She's not dressed normally. Except for the helmet. Always with the helmet. The difference for today's attire is that she's wearing a bigger, bulkier armor set. The battle axe in her hands is huge and awesome.

Kyohei finds a nice perch for watching the fight; it's a safe enough distance away that he won't be noticed, but close enough to still see most of the destroyed courtyard. He gets comfortable, because he's here and might as well enjoy the show. Plus, he wouldn't mind seeing that monk get his ass handed to him.

He watches the Dark Princess jump around the burning courtyard; her figure is nimble and her feet are sure. She's wearing such bulky armor, yet she's not hindered by it. Her body dances around her attackers with an ease he can't help but find frightening. She clearly strong, clearly capable, and Kyohei cannot look away as she shatters the biggest shield he has ever seen with a few swings of her battle axe.

The knight staggers for only a moment, but the Dark Princess doesn't hesitate to take it. She jumps forward, axe already in mid-swing. The knight can't block or defend himself, Kyohei knows. He's not sure why it's there, but he can't help the excited feeling of knowing the knight is about to lose.

Except, there is a flash of smoke between her and her opponent; the monk uses it to attack the Dark Princess's blind state. He kicks her out of the air, and she rolls a few feet away from the two teammates. The Dark Princess ends the roll back on her feet, axe still in hand. From this angle and distance, Kyohei cannot see her lips, or hear her words, but he doesn't need to with the amount of dark magic swirling around her form. The magic builds and focuses in form, pushing itself around her body.

Kyohei, himself, has never been one for magic. It always seemed too annoying to memorize the words and practice the incantations until perfect. Besides, why waste time and energy trying to ensure an uninterrupted spell, when a punch to the face was so much easier? Not to mention, it is a thousand times more satisfying.

That being said, he still knew enough of the basics to recognize magic at work. He had seen Takenaga, in both practice and performance, cast simple spells all the way to complex incantations. Kyohei knows the signs of magic in the air: the crisp taste of each breath, the tingle in every bone of his fingers, and the weight compressing down his spine. Kyohei knows what it all means. He even knows what the magic will look like, in most cases.

What he is seeing now seems beyond real magic. Magic, on its own, never takes a visible form. It can be used to form an element, or enhance a physical object, but nothing like this. The way the black mass moves and flows around the Dark Princess, the way it dances across her arms and down to the blade…

"Magic is like its own life," Takenaga had once lectured long ago. But, only now does Kyohei even begin to comprehend. He cannot look away.

The question, at this point, is what causes it. Is this the power of the Chosen Hero? Or is this the strength of the Dark Princess?

Kyohei snorts, eyes still drawn to the dark, menacing, feminine figure. It didn't really matter what she was called, he decided. Either was just a title. This power and skill and talent belongs to her alone. Kyohei didn't need to be a full-studied sorcerer of the high courts to tell that much. This battle is only going to end one way.

The magic finishes its trek to the battle axe, now raised high over one of the Dark Princess's shoulders. Seconds later, she swings it down with both hands, across her chest and finishing at her opposite side hip. She's nowhere near any of her opponents, but the magic leaps from her blade and crosses the distance like a black razor. In the seconds after her swing, the black magic hits both the monk and knight. It slices through them, cutting like an axe blade into the monk's chest and the knight's armor. Both cry out in pain and collapse. Blood pools around the bodies.

Kyohei stands from his spot. His eyes are wide as he stares at the two crumbled, moaning forms. He's shocked, but unsure why. He knew she was a killer from the stories; she had threatened him more than enough times as well. But, it never really fit her character to be a murder. She wasn't supposed to actually go that far. Sure, she and Kyohei were violent to each other, but he can't understand why she would attack two strangers like this. It should be enough to defeat them in combat, but not to kill them.

"Creature of Light!" Kyohei drags his eyes away to see the Dark Princess staring at him. He assumes she is, since her head is turned to look at him. She's still wearing that giant skull helmet, so Kyohei can't see any more than her mouth. It's hanging open. "Creature," she screeches again. "What are you doing here?"

Oops, spotted. Kyohei opts for the cute route. "Nothing," he tries with an innocent head scratch and grin. Her mouth closes and her lips tilt down. Time for plan B. "I came for the three idiots on my team."

The frown deepens on her lips. "They aren't here."

That can't be right. Did they get lost or something? No, Kyohei reasons, they probably chickened out after all. Figures that they would give him a huge speech on grandeur and "doing the right thing" and then not show up. Kyohei doesn't resist the scowl forming on his face.

Before either can continue, a chain whips through the air and wraps itself around Kyohei's form. His muscles tense, and the chain tightens to uncomfortable pressure that locks his arms to his sides and legs wedge at the knee. He blinks. Then the unidentified ninja-mage of the former trio is by his side. They kick him in the side, and Kyohei has no choice but to fall to the ground with a grunt. He narrowly avoids falling right on his nose.

"Surrender yourself to death," the third warrior demands, now standing above Kyohei's trapped form. "Or I will kill this man."

Kyohei freezes at the threat, but only for a heartbeat. After the shock, though, he starts wiggling like a desperate worm. There's no way he's playing the damsel in distress for this scenario. He tries to squeeze his arm up enough to reach a blade by his hip. Before he can though, there is another kick aimed to his back, forcing his stomach to hit the ground and the air to rush out of his lungs in a groan.

"I mean it," the mage says. They apply a pressure to his back with their foot, as if it helps. "I will kill this rogue of yours if you do not accept your demise."

There is a scoff, and then a laugh. It's a bit rough, as if hardly used, and Kyohei has to twist his head to confirm that it is indeed the Dark Princess cackling in a bizarre form of merriment.

He's shocked. And so is his captor. The mage sputters, hand rattling their end of the chain trap. "What is it?"

The Dark Princess shakes her head, and Kyohei thinks he sees a wide smile across her lips. "Of all the things to be your end, you are caught be a meager battle mage and chain? Ha—" She breaks off to snicker— "You look pathetic, Creature of Light. Squirming in their trap like the worthless pest you are."

Kyohei frowns. "You sick, twisted bitch," is all he can think to hiss in this situation. It stings because she's right; he was careless. However, she's wrong if she thinks this will be his last day. "Don't get so cocky," he says, eyes trained on the Dark Princess, who is still giggling. It's a strange sound and look with her all suited up for battle.

The mage seems to find this situation off-putting, and Kyohei uses the distraction to roll away from under the mage. He can only get so far, as the chain restricts his roll. The noise of metal rattling and his own determined grunts alert his captor of his plans. The chain tightens, and again, for the third time, Kyohei meets the other's boot in the most unpleasant way. He grunts, coughs a bit too, but he catches the eyes of the mage. Most of their face is hidden, but their eyes are wide and unseeing. Kyohei can't fight the show of teeth on his face. He can still hear the Dark Princess' cackles.

The mage growls. "Enough of this. Don't take me for a fool."

They then start chanting, and Kyohei wiggles like mad in return. He doesn't know what they are planning, but he can feel the pressure drop and his spine is tingling. He's got less than seconds. He gives a grunt, but the chain doesn't give. Kyohei looks up at his captor. He sees a blade coming for him. If asked in the afterlife, Kyohei will swear he didn't tear up in that moment.

And yet, in the next second, he see's pale skin framed by black hair. There are pink lips with a thin, dainty nose. And large, lavender eyes.


	6. Chapter 5:

**Chapter 5: Who is Pathetic Here?**

It takes Sunako seconds to reach the battle mage. She is not sure what happened, but she takes the hit. In her haste, she finds herself unable to properly block the enchanted blade. The weapon hits her, cuts her, and destroys her favorite helmet. It shatters the helm covering her face, the downward motion also nicking the top of her chest plate. The dagger cuts through like the armor was butter, the magic making the blade hot. Her favorite headcover cracks, splits, and falls from Sunako's crown.

She is livid.

Instantly, she retaliates by grabbing onto the arm holding the blade. She squeezes the other and receives a yelp in return. The blade falls, and Sunako roundhouse kicks the battle mage across the courtyard. Her opponent hits a tree, which causes the wood to crack from the force. The battle mage crumbles to the ground. Sunako then releases a long scream, her voice pitched high as if in the most immense pain. Her eyes are wide and unfocussed.

The dark energy gathers around her as she wails, as if the sound of her shriek summons darkness itself. The magic bubbles. She can feel it caress the skin on her face, her bare, open face. If possible, her voice raises to even a higher pitch. The magic echoes by dancing across her form in erratic movements. Sunako takes no breath, as if she no longer needs air to survive. It is not necessary.

The magic then leaps out from her form, racing across the open air and hitting the seeming-unconscious mage. Another portion jumps the other two fallen warriors. It surrounds Sunako's opponents, engulfing them in a void of black. The masses are nothing more than a pile of wiggling magic darkness now. Sunako can feel the life within them draining. She still screams as if tortured.

"Oi, enough."

Sunako's voice cracks. She finds the Creature of Light is in front of her, looking right at her. His hands are on her shoulders, and he is shaking her. She stops screaming and blinks, eyes not quite focusing on his handsome features. She blinks again, chokes, and shoves then him away with a gasp.

The black clouds of magic dissipate with her lack of focus. Sunako can tell that there is some life still in all three of the warriors. She has mixed feelings about it. Her eyes stray around the damaged courtyard and the broken bodies. She sees the broken bits of mithril, blacker than a starless sky, scattered around her feet. She feels tension in her shoulders and legs.

Sunako breathes in. She counts to three. Sunako breathes out. The tension follows.

Sunako notices the Creature of Light has only moved a foot away from her. Her eyes, barely blocked by black bangs, catch his feet pointed at her. She drags her eyes up his legs, past his waist and chest and shoulders. She catches the sharp chin, thin lips, pointed nose, and big brown eyes. They are watching her.

Sunako punches him. Her fist hits that perfect jaw as her voice screeches out of her throat. He grunts in return, body bending from the force of her attack. He staggers back a bit to regain his footing, and Sunako takes a few steps away also because he is too close and too bright.

"What the hell w—"

"Stop staring," Sunako screams over him. He sputters, and she knows he's looking at her again, but Sunako turns away with another pitched yell. "I mean it, stop looking at me. Stop," she half-begs, her hands coming up as her arms cover over her head. "You worthless creature, I will kill you if you do not leave now." Never has Sunako wished more for a spell of invisibility; hell, she would settle for a big blanket. She curls around herself, arms and hands blocking all she can of her head.

He doesn't go away like she wants. He doesn't stop staring either. Sunako isn't facing him at all, but she knows that he's looking at her. She can feel his radiance burning through her form. She feels so naked, even in her thickest armor set. She needs her helmet, but her best helmet is broken. The only line of defense she has is broken and lost and the Creature of Light is staring at her. Why won't he look away? Why is he staring at her? She's drowning in the light of his very being.

"You saved me."

Those are not the words she is expecting. Doesn't he care at all what he is doing to her? His stare is like torture, and he doesn't seem to even notice. Sunako can feel the rage rebuilding in her. Her frustration with this Creature of Light never ceases.

"Why?" He asks, but his voice sounds flat.

Sunako hisses. "Don't be stupid. I didn't save you." She is almost tempted turn and glare at him.

"Well you didn't let that magic ninja kill me."

"Battle mage," she corrects. "And I only prevented them from taking what is rightfully mine. If anyone will kill you, Creature of Light, it will be me. The pleasure of your blood spilling across the ground belongs to me alone. Besides," Sunako shrugs, "I would have ended them anyway. Your involvement only added to my annoyance and aggravation for the situation. I was having a great time until you showed up and got in the way."

The rogue snorts, then actually has the audacity to laugh. "Having fun beating people up? And I didn't add to it?"

"No." She hesitates. "But I expected better of you."

His laughter stops, and that confuses her a bit. However, Sunako still refuses to look at him. It's too dangerous now without the proper protective gear.

Instead, Sunako turns and wanders to the still burning front gate, her head down so she will not have to directly look at the Creature of Light. The wood is finally starting to splinter and break from the heat. She can see the metal plates hiding underneath. She summons the necessary magic and whispers the incantations until the fire dies down. The wood crackles like a campfire and the iron hinges groan as she removes the burden. Once the fire is gone, Sunako casts another spell, and the area around her drops in temperature. This causes the smoke to dissipate and the red of the metals to darken back to their natural hue.

With the front gates no longer on fire, she can tell that they have started to warp just a bit. There is now a bow to both doors, curving them inwards to dip like someone were cupping their hands to hold water. Sunako stands and contemplates how best to fix the problem. As she does, she glances around the scuffed area that was once her front courtyard. There are still some bushes on fire, a few trenches here and there too—not to mention the three bloodied, but breathing bodies.

Sunako can feel eyes on her. She refuses to give in, though she knows her skin is most likely sizzling.

Instead, she focuses on using a few bits of magic to put out the rest of her burning home. She decides to ask the others to fill the trenches later, and maybe replant some of the bushes and trees. Growing flora was always such a pain. She has never had the affinity for such things. For some reason, every time she would try to use herbal magic, the plants would wilt and die instead of grow and flourish.

Well, even someone as gifted as Sunako must have her faults.

She's so busy musing about greenery and lack thereof, that Sunako is caught off guard by the rogue suddenly in her face. She freezes, trying to figure out when he had approached her. He's staring at her face again. It takes Sunako's brain a moment to realize this, and then she screams. She also punches him square in his perfect, radiant face again. She hopes she broke his jaw this time; she would settle for his nose, though.

He stumbles and falls back on his bottom with none of the grace a rogue should have. He curses the whole way down. It's all muffled words, and she risks a peak to see his hands covering most of his face. Maybe her wish had been granted; a crooked nose would certainly make the Creature of Light more bearable to look at. He catches her stare and Sunako is quick to look away before any permeant damage from his direct gaze into her own.

"Why," the rogue grumbles, "do you keep punching me? What did I do?" His voice is muffled, but not congested. No broken nose then.

"I told you to stop staring at me. I told you to leave," Sunako states with certainty. "You won't do either. I have every right to punch you, Creature of Light."

"It's Kyohei," he insists back, but there is not bite. She knows this, but doesn't care. She's never cared. "And I can't leave."

Her frustration is mounting again. "Yes you can; the door is right there, wide open," she counters. Her body twists to wave a hand at her broken castle entry. "Leave or I will do more than punch your face."

"I can't," he insists more. She sees him stand up from the corner of her eye. "I'm still looking for my idiot friends. Remember them? A crybaby cleric, snooty sorcerer, and perverted bard? Ring any bells? Their probably hiding around here somewhere."

Sunako bristles. "The only creature who is ever hiding in my castle is you."

"They told me they would be here," the rogue continues on. "They told me they were going to help you fight those—"

"I don't need any help," Sunako hisses.

"That's what I told them," the Creature of Light whines. "But do they ever listen to me? No. No. How would Kyohei know that those losers would be no match? Never mind that he's fought the Dark Princess before. His experience wouldn't be any use. That kind of thing doesn't account for anything, apparently."

"Are you done?" Sunako asks, arms crossed and right foot tapping. She's staring down at his feet, which is about as much as she's willing to risk. Her bangs hang low on purpose.

"Almost," the rogue replies.

She huffs. "No. I'm done listening to your pathetic squabbles. I've already told you that those creatures aren't here. Leave. Go look for your weak companions somewhere else."

"But what if they show up here later? I don't want to waste my afternoon looking for them."

The rage within Sunako increases. "Well I'm done letting you waste my afternoon with your whiny, radiant self! I have a castle to fix, in case you haven't noticed. You are in the way. Just leave," she yells, eyes now on his knees.

"No. Don't wanna." She can see him cross his arms just on the edge of her vision.

Something inside Sunako snaps and the next thing she realizes is that she is looking at the Creature of Light sticking his tongue out at her. She jumps forward, both arms out with hands drawn like a beast with claws. She aims for his neck.

There is a surprised squawking noise from the rogue, but her hands miss his throat as the other blocks just enough to keep her hands away from the easily crushed pipe. Instead, she gets a handful of his forearms, which she then uses to shove him backwards. He must not have realized how much weight her armor added, as the man tumbles to the ground. Sunako tries to let go, but he grabs her arms instead, and she ends up falling forward onto his splayed form.

The rogue now beneath her groans in either pain or annoyance. Sunako can't tell which. Maybe it's both. Either way, his grip loosens on her arms and the rage pushes her through as she tries again for his throat. Her right hand gets a nice grip near his collar bone, but he catches her left hand with his own right. His other hand grips her right forearm.

She hisses and squirms on top of him, trying to use the weight and bulk of her armor to dislodge him. They both push and pull at each other's arms. Usually, he would be strong enough to push her off, but her added mass seems to be too much for him. She can feel him rocking from side to side underneath her.

"Oh my," a voice cries.

Her entire being flinches, and beneath her, Sunako feels her opponent do the same. Both turn their heads, slow, ever so slow, to see three young men standing near the front gates.

There is a long pause as Sunako takes a moment to come down from her anger and process what she is seeing. When she realizes it's the other Radiant Creatures, she rolls off her hated opponent and hisses. The roll throws her hair into her eyes, and she tries covering her face more with the bulk of her armor-clad arms. They are all staring at her. She can feel the light of such dazzling creatures sneaking through the cracks between her arms and trying to burn through her skin.

"Leave," Sunako tries once more. She forces herself to stand while keeping her face blocked. "Your worthless companions are here. You have no reason to stay." She summons all of the darkness she can, whispering enchanted words under her breath. The incantation builds, and magic forms between her and those horrid Radiant Creatures. "Leave, or I will kill you all." Her voice booms with magic dripping from her vocal cords.

A wall of dark magic falls into place, bidding her will to block the unwanted gazes. It rises up high and wide, solidifying into grey crystals too opaque to see through. She risks a final glance to ensure they are no longer in sight, then Sunako turns and dashes back into her castle.

It's not running away, she thinks to herself.


End file.
